Case studies from the NHS Carbon Reduction Strategy

Transcription

1 Case studies from the NHS Carbon Reduction Strategy Energy use in buildings The Pilgrim Hospital The Pilgrim Hospital in Lincolnshire will reduce their estate s carbon footprint by up to 50% by installing a biomass boiler. The boiler will run on locally-sourced renewable woodchips and will be up and running by The hospital currently produces between 10,000 and 12,000 tonnes of CO 2 each year from heating. The new biomass boiler aims to reduce the CO 2 produced from heating to around 6,000 tonnes. A combined heat and power plant will further reduce the hospital s carbon footprint by generating its own electricity to provide lighting and power for the hospital, as well as additional heat. The work is being funded through a grant from the Department of Health s Energy Efficiency Fund 1, following a successful application by United Lincolnshire Hospital NHS Trust, as well as a 205,000 grant from Lincolnshire County Council s LIGHT Project. 1 For more information see Energy Efficiency Fund [Online] Available at: opment/dh_ [Accessed 08 January 2009]

2 Natural Ventilation Buildings designed with passive ventilation have improved resilience to energy supply failure and are more energy efficient than mechanically ventilated buildings. In an acute hospital up to 70% of net floor space could be entirely or partially naturally ventilated. Concern regarding airborne disease and cross infection appears to be a major driver for installing fully mechanically ventilated systems in health premises. Consequently, other public buildings have installed more naturally and passively ventilated systems. The UK National Institute of Health Research has found that there may not be as large a risk as many believe. Modelling, carried out in a 200 bed hospital configured to current NHS service delivery policy, shows that increased energy performance, and therefore carbon saving, is achievable whilst saving on energy bills. Birmingham Heartlands & Solihull NHS Trust The combined heat and power (CHP) scheme at Birmingham Heartlands & Solihull NHS Trust enables it to generate its own electricity in a purpose designed energy centre. The electricity is generated from a gas-powered engine and the heat comes from hot water. Combining the two is where the carbon savings come from. Rather than rely on separate boilers to heat water for their central heating systems, the buildings connected to the energy network exploit the heat the engine generates as it produces electricity. This project was part of a 5 million energy efficiency programme that is recording savings of 688,000 a year and cutting carbon emissions by 1,627 tonnes per year the equivalent of a forest of 2,503 trees as well as reducing other harmful green house gases such as sulphur dioxide.

3 Procurement Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust In a pioneering project the Rotherham NHS Foundation Trust is using an innovative procurement approach, Forward Commitment Procurement (FCP) to harness the benefits of ultra efficient lighting technology and to significantly improve the efficiency and functionality of ward lighting. The project forms part of the Trust s Future Wards programme which is a major ward reconfiguration and refurbishment programme that will run over a seven year period from 2009, with an estimated saving of energy greater than 50% of conventional lighting system. FCP is a practical supply chain management process that is helping us to deliver the best possible solution for the new wards, not only in terms of energy efficiency and carbon reduction, but also in terms of patient experience and best value, Martin Aizlewood, Energy and Environment Manager, said. Stork-eco nappies The Isle of Man real nappy campaign has introduced cloth nappies into the maternity unit of Noble s Hospital, Isle of Man. The midwives at the hospital created the sustainable Stork-eco nappy specifically for the NHS. The not for profit project is supported by the government and provides interest free loans for cloth nappies in receipt of income support benefit in the Isle of Man. The project has showed that introducing cloth nappies into maternity services has increased the number of parents using cloth nappies at home. By procuring in this way, the carbon footprint of the hospital has been reduced and it has also influenced the behaviour and carbon footprint of the parents who continue to use cloth nappies at home.

4 The introduction of the Stork-eco nappy into the Jane Crookall Maternity Unit at Noble s Hospital has effectively reduced the unit s disposable nappy waste and their total clinical incineration by 99.9% and their total clinical waste by 83% helping to make long-term financial and environmental savings. Food procurement London food initiative The NHS spends around 500 million on food to serve 300 million meals in 1,200 hospitals every year. The London food initiative is a two-year project aimed to increase the proportion of local and organic food to 10% of the catering provision of four London NHS hospitals. Ealing General, Lambeth Hospital, St. George's Hospital and the Royal Brompton Hospital, worked in partnership with the Soil Association to increase the proportion of locally produced nutritious food served in London hospitals. The project evolved after initial encouraging research in 2002 and 2003 by the Soil Association and funding was secured from the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) under the Rural Enterprise Scheme and the King's Fund. The Cornwall Food Production Unit This project, which received almost 2 million from the Objective One European Agricultural Guidance and Guarantee Fund and DEFRA, as well as NHS and local LIFT Company investment, offers tasty, healthy food to patients, staff and visitors. At the same time the project boosts economic sustainability within the region by sourcing local produce and helping the environment by cutting food miles. The 4.6m food production unit is an exemplar.

5 The development of the CFPU has been led by the Royal Cornwall Hospitals Trust, as a partnership project for the NHS across Cornwall and is being developed as part of the LIFT initiative by the county s LIFTco: Community 1st Cornwall Limited. Transport Winchester and Eastleigh Healthcare NHS Trust Winchester and Eastleigh Healthcare NHS Trust has introduced a patient travel bus saving 4,000 patient journeys per annum, equating to a reduction of 68,000 miles. This has been combined with a staff travel plan that has reduced staff car journeys by 1,540 per week. Based on an estimation of eight miles per journey, this equates to 500,000 miles per annum saved. This initiative has led to a reduction in the number of cars travelling to the Royal Hampshire County Hospital site. The incentive to cycle to work will soon increase when the Trust commences offering staff that cycle to work a free Loan-U-Lock security system to better protect them from bike theft. This will work towards the Trust travel plan to reduce car use and increase sustainable travel modes, thereby producing a positive effect on the environment and reducing carbon emissions. Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust The Cambridge University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust Travel Plan aims to encourage and create opportunity for all staff, patients and visitors, to travel to the Addenbrooke s Hospital site by means other than car wherever possible, to reduce traffic onto site, to increase the travel choices so that they are safe, fair and accessible for all, to encourage healthier behaviour and to reduce carbon emissions. The travel plan owes its success to some key factors: commitment by the Board, strong leadership in introducing car park management, ring-fenced income from car parks, union support, effective communication with staff, patients and visitors and dedication to behaving as good corporate citizens and reducing carbon emissions.

6 In 2007, there were over 18,000 return trips made to and from the campus each day. Changes in the mode of travel are measured annually as part of a one-day, 100% headcount and traffic survey. To date, Addenbrooke s travel plan has successfully reduced the number of staff travelling to the site by single occupancy car journeys from 50% in 2000 to 34% in Patients and visitors who travel by car have decreased from 92% in 2002, to 85% in Measuring success in the following ways ensures a good payback on this scheme: * Reduced need for car parking spaces * Less air and noise pollution * Less congestion * Fairness in the costs of travel * A healthier, fitter and happier workforce * Reduction in carbon. Water Scrubbing A study carried out at Gartnavel Hospital and Stobhill Hospital in Glasgow found that using a certain type of tap for surgical scrubbing could save water, energy and carbon. The knee on version of tap design helped save 5.7 litres of hot water per scrub compared to the elbow on tap. This is approximately 600KJ of energy and 80 grams of carbon dioxide per surgical scrub. This simple difference of tap types can reduce water and energy use without producing any negative effects in terms of scrubbing efficiency. It helps to modify hand-washing behaviour and could help reduce the carbon footprint of surgical scrubbing across the NHS.

7 Building Design The Lewisham Hospital NHS Trust The new wing of The Lewisham Hospital NHS Trust contains over 400 beds in single rooms and units of four beds. The Riverside building provides a high quality, mainly naturally ventilated, environment despite the pressures of a seven-storey building in a tight urban environment. It manages to reduce energy costs and cut CO 2 emissions through good design and the use of photovoltaics. Biodiversity and the local environment have been improved by regenerating a derelict watercourse and promoting changes to an adjacent park, while stakeholders were successfully involved at the start in developing the project brief. The total construction costs were 69 million, for a building of 52,800m 3 or about 22000m 2. The photovoltaics system cost 79,846, paid for by a grant from the Energy Savings Trust, and is leading to savings in electricity costs. The main benefit from this building is improved patient experience. There is also a benefit in providing attractive working conditions to attract and retain skills. Kentish Town Camden PCT has commissioned a new primary care building which is leading the way in the development of the NHS estate. This LIFT* initiative has been designed to a sustainable construction and it will be sustainable for its whole life operational use. This healthcare development has carbon savings at its heart. The design makes the most of natural light and ventilation, reducing the need for artificial light, heating and air-conditioning. The building materials were also chosen to reduce the reliance on heating and cooling, high thermal mass building materials and solar reflective glass were among the materials used.

8 *Local Improvement Finance Trust (LIFT) is a vehicle for improving and developing frontline primary and community care facilities. It allows PCTs to invest in new premises in new locations and it is providing patients with modern integrated health services in high quality, fit for purpose primary care premises. For more information: [ FT/index.htm] Plowright Surgery The Plowright Surgery in Norfolk is a GP surgery built for a list size of 5,200 patients. The surgery sets a new benchmark for surgeries and uses just 54 kwh of electricity and 90 kwh of gas per m2 per year. This energy use is far lower than the Department of Health s standard for new buildings. The design of the building ensures effective use of natural light and ventilations, avoiding the use of air-conditioning and reducing the energy consumption. The building was funded by Norfolk LIFT and the NHS Local Improvement Finance and fell with in the lowest quartile of the funding criteria (at 1,706/M 2 ), proving that low carbon does not have to cost more. The CO 2 of the building are only 31 tonnes per year. Staff Engagement Earth Beat, Derby Hospital Foundation Trust Derby Hospitals Foundation Trust has made great strides in involving its staff in lowering the hospitals carbon impact. Over the last four years, this has helped the Trust reduce its energy consumption and saved 628,000. Their Earth Beat magazine supplement 'keeping you informed on green issues', provides staff with upto-date information on developments within the hospital on energy saving, cycle2work schemes and recycling.

9 The Trust s environmental champions, volunteer members of staff, feed back issues from ward and department level, creating an interactive framework across the Trust. This helps to foster ideas sharing and raise awareness of carbon and sustainability issues. Sustainable development partnerships Chesterfield Royal NHS Foundation Trust The Chesterfield Royal Hospital NHS Foundation Trust believes that it has the responsibility to take forward the corporate citizenship and sustainability agendas on behalf of the community it serves. The corporate citizenship committee, which has joint board of directors and Council of Governors backing, meet on a quarterly basis and are responsible for setting objectives and recommending targets under the NHS good corporate citizenship assessment model and for monitoring progress and performance against these. Their success so far includes planting 200 trees in partnership behind the education centre, to help the environment. The hospital has also recently entered into partnership with Calow firm Polar Windows, which has cut the trusts emissions by more than 50 tonnes a year through a window replacement programme and ventilation. Good Corporate Citizen NHS North West The North West SHA has incorporated Good Corporate Citizen guidance into new internal policies, including transport, procurement and employment. All Trusts and PCTs in the North West have identified sustainable development leads. Progress in implementing Sustainable Development Plans for PCTs and Trusts is included in the public health indicators for performance improvement and is linked to work currently

10 being undertaken to align Local Delivery Plan and Local Area Agreement performance frameworks. The SHA has also developed a draft travel policy promoting the use of teleworking, sustainable transport options and lease car policy which is undergoing consultation with staff representatives. Knowsley PCT has been recognised for their Sustainable Development Plan and was a runner-up in the Public Sector Environmental Progress section of the Groundwork Merseyside 2006 Awards. Future proofing West Midlands Cancer Intelligence Unit The West Midlands Cancer Intelligence Unit has pioneered the use of cancer registry data along with GIS (Geographical Information Systems) to calculate the carbon emissions associated with treating breast cancer. Data comparisons from 1999 and 2004 showed that there has been a 214% increase in total car miles travelled which equates to over 400 tonnes of carbon associated with radiotherapy treatment in the West Midlands. Considering patient and visitor mileage, and therefore carbon, will prove to be a useful tool in designing low carbon patient pathways.